2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

316418
College Women's Knowledge of and Perceived Barriers to Long Acting Reversible Contraception


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 5:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Kelli Hall, PhD, MS, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Elizabeth Ela, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Melissa Zochowski, MBA, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Sneha Challa, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Laura McAndrew, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Monique Steel, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Vanessa Dalton, MD, MPH, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Susan Ernst, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Objective: To comprehensively assess college women’s knowledge of and perceived barriers to long acting reversible contraception (LARC).

Methods: We conducted an internet-based survey of 1,982 female undergraduates at a large mid-western university to identify barriers to intrauterine device (IUD) and implant uptake on college campuses. The 55-item survey measured multiple dimensions of women’s LARC understanding, attitudes, experiences, and reasons for nonuse. We present results as descriptive statistics.

Results: Few women had heard of “long acting reversible contraception (LARC)” (22%), and most self-reported “little” or “no” general knowledge of IUDs (79%) and implants (88%). Incorrect or “don’t know” responses were common for LARC true/false statements, especially mechanisms of action and side effect items, including whether: IUDs and implants contain estrogen and progesterone (85%); implants are less effective than IUDs because they are not inside the uterus (69%); IUDs are more effective than pills (59%); IUDs and implants cause weight gain (60%); hair loss, acne, or mood changes (65%); and infertility (61%).

Five percent had ever used LARC. Common barriers to IUD uptake included: not wanting a foreign object in body (35%); not knowing enough about the method (34%); preferring to use a method you can control (34%); worries about pain (24%); side effects/serious health problems (22%); cost (22%); and not being in a long-term relationship (18%). Implant results were similar.

Conclusions:

Findings on LARC knowledge gaps and individual-, health systems- and community-level reasons for nonuse have informed our campus-tailored, web-based intervention to improve college women’s acceptability, understanding, and uptake of LARC.

Learning Areas:

Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe college women's knowledge of and perceived barriers to long acting reversible contraception.

Keyword(s): Contraception, College Students

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to be an abstract author because I am the PI of several family planning and reproductive health projects that are federally funded and supported by foundation grants.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4444.0: Long-acting reversible contraception